II. SS-Panzerkorps

II. SS-Panzerkorps was formed June 1942 at Truppenübungsplatz Bergen-Belsen as SS-Panzer-Generalkommando, before being transferred to France to take control of the Waffen-SS divisions refitting there. It remained in France until January 1943 when it was tranferred to the southern sector of the Eastern front. In June 1943 it was renamed to II. SS-Panzerkorps.

It fought at Kharkov and Belgorod before taking part in the summer offensive of 1943. As the fall of Mussolini seemed imminent the Korps was ordered to Italy, though only Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler actually left the Eastern front.

It was briefly redesignated 1. SS-Panzer-Armee in the autumn of 1943 but it was soon changed back to the original name.

It was sent to France in December 1943 and returned to the Eastern front in April 1944 before once again returning to France to fight the Allies in Normandy. It later saw action in the Ardennes before returning to the east and ending the war in Austria.

SS-Werfer-Abteilung 102 was formed near Celle in late 1942 from manpower from SS-Werfer-Ausbildungs-Batterie, SS-Artillerie-Ersatz-Abteilung and SS-Artillerie-Ausbildung- und Ersatz-Regiment with four batteries (six 15 cm launchers in each).In October 1943 most of the Abteilung was sent to France for refitting but the 1. and 3. Batteries remained behind, known as SS-Werfergruppe Krosta.In September 1944 2. and 3. Batteries remained behind in France known as SS-Werfergruppe Nickmann while the rest of the unit transferred to Guben for refitting.In September 1944 the name was changed to SS-Werfer-Abteilung 502.

In fiction

The 1977 movie "A Bridge Too Far", based on the book by Cornelius Ryan, directed by Richard Attenborough tells the story of Operation Market-Garden.The 1979 board game "Prochorovka: Armor at Kursk" designed by Stephen V. Cole and published by Task Force Games covers the battle of Prochorovka.

Panzer IV in Toulon, France, during Unternehmen Lila, the attempt to capture the Vichy French fleet(Courtesy of Bundesarchiv/Wikimedia, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0 Germany)